Category Archives: Web/Tech

A few weeks ago I received an email that really excited me. I’ve worked on a lot of cutting edge technologies as a marketing and development strategist and advisor to many startup companies, but this particular message felt like a bold glimpse into the future. It was a compelling look at how small businesses can leverage new technology to compete and succeed at a higher level.

The message came from a company called Clarifai, which is developing machine learning APIs with the belief that “the same AI technology that gives big tech companies a competitive edge should be available to developers or businesses of any size or budget.” Their image and video recognition API leads the industry, with the ability to quickly and efficiently process and identify mass quantities of images. With the addition of Custom Training, which allows companies to “teach” AI to understand concepts relevant to their business, Clarifai is ushering in a future in which Artificial Intelligence can be deployed to assist businesses of all sizes.Continue Reading

Of the many incredible innovations that have impacted our lives over the past few decades, one in particular stands out to me as an example of how technology can change the way we relate to each other on a fundamental level – social networking. Whether you take an optimistic or pessimistic view of this evolution, the change is undeniable. Technology and social networking have given us the ability to connect with friends or strangers (both near and far) for business or for recreation, all at the touch of a button.

The story of innovation behind social networking and the internet is a complex one, full of give and take. At times, social networking drove the development of the online experience, at other times it struggled to keep up with technological advances. This is a look at the innovators who changed our lives by connecting us (and our data) online.Continue Reading

One of the questions that I find consistently fascinating and informative is “How do entrepreneurs find world-changing insights?” For those with active, searching minds, inspiration can be found in many places, but the insights that have shaped product development and consumer behavior over the last several decades often came from where we might least expect them. By studying innovative minds and their sometimes surprising influences, we can learn a lot about how to create vital, transformative products ourselves. Continue Reading

The online mattress brand Casper has emerged over the last two years as a force in social media marketing, disrupting the department store mattress racket and building its success on an unlikely target market. Casper’s novel approach bears examination; their path to market, product development, and audience outreach each contain valuable lessons for today’s entrepreneurs.Continue Reading

For almost all of us, the “online” experience has shifted. The days of dial-up and even high-speed modems have clearly passed, and now Google has come to our fingertips. Emails and queries are now conducted from trains or buses or sidewalks instead of behind bulky desktops. According to an articled published by Pew Media in April of 2015,

“Today nearly two-thirds of Americans own a smartphone, and 19 percent of Americans rely to some degree on a smartphone for accessing online services and information and for staying connected to the world around them—either because they lack broadband at home or because they have few options for online access other than their cell phone.”

So, while mentions of “online” or “browsing” might still evoke images of a person saddled behind a desk punching keys into computer, the reality is much more mobile.

The link below shows the Inauguration of President Obama in unbelievable detail. The image is a 1474 megapixel photo of the inauguration built from more than 200 photos. The navigation tools allow you to zoom in on snoozing Justices and pick out details of tie pins.

According to a New York Times article , investors are betting tens of millions of dollars on Internet start-up companies like ExpertVillage and WonderHowTo that you want to know how to do those things. These companies are putting how-to content online.

And, it’s not just silly stuff. You can view videos about how to repair a pool cleaner by a pool store manager, how to use a miter saw from a custom home builder, how to light your home exterior from a lighting designer at a residential spaces company, or how to improve employee performance from a professional training expert.

What is your expertise? Why not make your own how-to video that positions you as the expert in your field? Put it online, send links of it to your customers and prospects, or send it to media outlets to showcase your availability as an expert spokesperson.